This article is part of PoliTact’s recently launched initiative to look at the events of the Pacific region from the vantage point of South Asia. In order to do this, one has to also study where South Asia belongs in the larger strategy of major international powers. Under this theme, various political, security and economic…
ContextThe Balkan states have come a long way since the Yugoslav wars and the ethnic cleansing of the 90s. The region has improved both economically as well as politically. Slovenia and Croatia have become members of the EU while all other countries in the region are actively working towards this goal. However, despite the tremendous…
ContextPoliTact has previously noted that since 9/11 the threat perception of the Middle Eastern nations have transferred from being fixated on Israel to dealing with and countering violent extremism. A similar shift also occurred in South Asia, where the debate has continued if the threat Pakistan faces is primarily external or internal. More specifically, should…
In the last few months a number of decisions have been taken by the Government of Pakistan which have entrenched that country even further into China’s geostrategic orbit. And although China and Pakistan have had a long and fruitful relationship for well over 50 years, it was the launch, during a visit to Pakistan by…
ContextIn previous articles different facets and phases of the ‘war against terror’ since it got underway, have been discussed. The terminology has almost become defunct as the balance of power in the Middle East stands at a tipping point. The reason why that has happened is instrumental towards understanding the present status of the campaign…
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif must be extremely relieved that Pakistan’s parliament voted unanimously on Friday 10 April not to send troops in support of Saudi Arabia’s military operation in Yemen. While Saudi Arabia will not be pleased with that outcome, the parliamentarians’ decision was a wise one. This was a difficult decision for the Pakistan…
ContextIn its past analysis, PoliTact has projected that the affairs of Middle East, especially related to extremism and Iran’s nuclear program, are likely to dominate the affairs of South Asia at some point. Associated with this assessment is an alarm that if the Afghan reconciliation process lingers on for too long, as it has, the…
It’s the time of the year when institutions involved in deciphering the political, security and economic affairs of the world, produce short and long-term forecasts. Obviously, the primary purpose of developing a forecast is to better plan. And at a more sophisticated level, to help shape a future that is conducive for ones interests. It’s…
ContextIn its 2013 forecast, PoliTact had laid out a picture of the campaign against extremists that differed dramatically from the mainstream media. Many of these assessments were on the mark. As we approach the end of 2014 and enter the stage 2 of this campaign, these projections need to be revisited. As we conduct this…
The four-month old military operation in North Waziristan – Operation Zarb-e-Azb – and the smaller, more recent one in the Khyber Agency – Operation Khyber-I – against the various militant groups holed up in those areas have been successful, but only in a limited way. While the military capability of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the…
